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Proving once again that Apple is rapidly becoming a major force to reckon with across Asia, the iPhone maker has received a notable distinction this week that points to the continent's warmer-than-ever embrace of iDevices.

Today, for the first time in the company's history, Apple has taken the top spot among all consumer brands in Japan in Nikkei痴 annual brand ranking. Having been in 11th place last year and in 64th place in 2009, Apple has much to be proud of, particularly for boasting 90.5 points today in total brand power among consumers.

Overall brand power scores were calculated based on the responses of some 52,000 people.

"The consumer ranking is particularly significant since Japan has often shunned foreign consumer technology," says Devindra Hardawar of Venture Beat. "Microsoft痴 Xbox and Xbox 360, for example, have struggled to find ground in the country where Nintendo and Sony reign supreme."

So who did Apple knock out of the top spot to take top honors? Google. Check out the top ten list of most powerful consumer brands posted below.

It is truly amazing when you consider that the iPhone was until this year only available on the smallest and crapiest Telco, Softbank, and is still not available on NTT DoCoMo, the largest carrier by far, and that the iPad is still only available from and CARRIER LOCKED to Softbank's crappy service. Mac's have always enjoyed a niche market here, and the latest portables are esthetically appealing to Japanese design mantas of simplicity and subtle elegance.
Still, I am just amazed by these results.

It is truly amazing when you consider that the iPhone was until this year only available on the smallest and crapiest Telco, Softbank, and is still not available on NTT DoCoMo, the largest carrier by far, and that the iPad is still only available from and CARRIER LOCKED to Softbank's crappy service. Mac's have always enjoyed a niche market here, and the latest portables are esthetically appealing to Japanese design mantas of simplicity and subtle elegance.
Still, I am just amazed by these results.

I have had an iPhone 3G, an iPhone 4 and now an iPhone 4s, all on SoftBank. I have never had a problem with signal or service.

Also, no iPads are locked to a carrier. You can get an NTT docomo sim card and put it in an iPad and use it just fine. The initial activation takes a bit longer to recognize from docomo's servers, but it works perfectly.

I have had an iPhone 3G, an iPhone 4 and now an iPhone 4s, all on SoftBank. I have never had a problem with signal or service.

Also, no iPads are locked to a carrier. You can get an NTT docomo sim card and put it in an iPad and use it just fine. The initial activation takes a bit longer to recognize from docomo's servers, but it works perfectly.

What are you, Son's godson? LMAO

Seriously, everyone is entitled to their opinion and I am glad that Softbank has been a reliable service provider for you; however, you are clearly in the minority. There are whole websites and countless blogs devoted to Softbank's infamous 'service', I include one in English for you:

But again, this is just opinion. For a more personal anecdotal perspective, I offer my own experience: when choosing cellular modems for our SMART BUS AVL demonstration projects, we vetted DoCoMo, AU and Softbank radios. Softbank failed in both our rural and URBAN test beds, being unable to maintain continuous communications on moving buses as they performed their daily operations. Both AU and DoCoMo networks passed, though B-Mobile's capped low-bandwidth service on DoCoMo's network proved the best in terms of cost and service.

Finally, I would ordinarily have just ignored your reply, but you spewed such blatant misinformation, that I wasted, errr, spent some of, my free time rebutting your claim that Japanese iPads are not carrier locked.

First, from theiphonewiki: "GSM iPads sold everywhere but Japan are factory-unlocked. All other cellular devices are locked."

Sorry it is in Japanese, but essentially, it shows so called grey market, non-Japanese 'new iPads' for sale in Akihabara. What makes these iPads so special that they can command a price nearly double the asking price at Softbank? Well, they are described as 'DoCoMo friendly' and 'SIM Free'. Now do you really think that Japanese Otaku would shell out up to ･109,999 (or $1,327) for one of these if ALL Japanese iPads could work with ANY carrier's SIM in Japan? I rest my case, lmfao.

I am glad you believe everything you read on the Internet, but I will see your Internet info with multiple Apple certifications and raise it by the fact that I repair and exchange iDevices every day for a living. I'm certified to support Apple hardware, and I specialize in Mobile Devices. I think your confusion comes from the fact that to get a 3G iPad you have to start with a contract with SoftBank, but you can stop using them whenever you want and pop in any SIM card you want (that you can get a contract for).

Just last month someone came into my shop with a Japanese bought 3G iPad 2 and needed to exchange it due to a hardware defect. I pulled out a standard, made-for-Japan 3G iPad 2 to exchange it with and when I pulled out his SIM card it was a Docomo card (I didn't look at the carrier until I was pulling the cars out). I put it in the next made-for-Japan iPad, straight from the factory, and it worked fine. Why? It isn't SIM locked. The activation took nearly 45 minutes to get approval from Docomo servers, but it worked just fine once the initial connection was made.

iPhones are SIM locked. iPads are not. Which is also why I can take my 3G iPad 2, bought in Japan, to the USA and pop in any SIM card I want and use it, no jailbreak or unlock required. Can't do that for my iPhone unless I go through the hassle of unlocking.

Tell you what, if you don't believe me, call the Apple store in Ginza:
03-5159-8200
Or in Shibuya:
03-6415-3300
And ask them directly. Be sure and post back when you find out I am right.

Your apology is accepted in advance.

LMFAO indeed....

PS - I had a friend trapped on a roof of a school for a few days after the Tsunami last year. He said everyone kept borrowing his phone during the event cause he was the only one with service. The carrier? SoftBank. I'll admit it surprised me too, but it sure as hell debunks that "SoftBank Sucks" mentality...